Mike Nathal wrote on Jun 23^rd, 2019 at 6:13am:



Yep for me Bob is the man of finishes 
Jeff is a close second.  I met him many years ago before he was famous and we talked all kinds of paints and finishes.

Micheal Gipson wrote on Jun 21^st, 2019 at 12:27am:


Boiled linseed oil was used for generations as a waterproof finish on rifle stocks. Back in the day they would hand rub it to produce enough heat that help cure the oil and it was believed this is what made it waterproof.

FWIW most decent oil finishes contain BLO. That's not to say there aren't better finishes available today. Especially since many commercial products substituted soy bean oil in place of BLO.

During WWII the Americans learned of the finish the Chinese used to water proof their boats (Junks) and brought back the seeds of the tree to cultivate it here is the US.

Its called China oil or Tung Oil

If anyone's interested...
Tung oil nuts/trees were imported by the USDA about 1905 on an experimental basis.
A pressing plant was erected  in Gainesville, Florida about 1928.
150,000 pounds of oil was produced in the U.S. in 1932, in 1944 10,000,000 pounds of tung oil was produced in this country.
At one time tung oil was a pretty lucrative crop along the gulf coast.

Tung Oil by Robert S McKinney - Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or -
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Micheal Gipson wrote on Jun 26^th, 2019 at 12:10am:

It depends on what you are finishing and why. The product dictates what finish you apply to it. Are you looking for color, clarity, durability, a combination or something else? Some things are fine simply flooded with danish oil and other items may take multiple coats over a period of weeks, it depends.

The finishes i mentioned are sacrificing durability and yes cost, for speed and ease. It's up to you to balance what's more important to you.
Don't simply listen to me, I don't have any say in what anyone uses and why. I just try to point out what most people overlook.
Take the 1:1:1 mixtures
You are essentially adding 1 part, 33% oil to the recipe. Your remaining 66% shellac solution, 1 part DNA mixed with 1 part shellac. These two parts of the mixture are is comprised of a >1-1/2lb cut of waxed shellac or a >1lb cut of de-waxed shellac, depending on which Zinnser product you start with.
This is what's typically called a wash coat of shellac and you would need about 6 coats to give it any chance of protection. Why do people use them, they are quick and easy but IMO better off being used on items you sit on a shelf and don't touch.

Some people just like to mix their own finishes, that's great but you need to know the basics or your finish will fail in time. Mixing incompatible chemicals, applying only a thin coat or trying to apply too many types of product at once may work in the short term but finishes like these are destined to fail. This is not opinion this is science.

Speaking only for myself, my projects aren't complete until the finish is cured, it's part (possibly the most important part) of the entire process. I don't take short cuts on finishing. I choose quality over speed & ease.

That makes sense. I guess in this case I'll just have to deal with it because it's what the customer wants. I'll do some more reading and get my own opinion that I can post on here when the next youngster decides to ask some questions. Hahaha. In the meantime, I'll keep being the youngster I am and ask questions. I'm just thankful I get to ask questions rather than learning the hard way with a customers order.

I can't remember if it was on here that I read it or not but someone said that BLO doesn't cure. If that's true, wouldn't that make other finishes going on top of it difficult? Like if I were to use boiled linseed oil or regular linseed oil, let it dry and then put shellac over it or polyurethane. Would that mess up the Finish? As it was stated some finishes will eat through the others so is it pointless to layer finishes that way?

I will go back to the Original Topic of BLO and Mineral spirits, the Por's and Con's.

There is nothing wrong with thinning BLO with a solvent so that it is able to penetrate into the wood pores easier and possibly further. The issue is that this is not a very durable or protective finish. For the maximum amount of protection, the surface of the item must be flooded with the mixture so that as much oil is absorbed as possible before it begins to cure. Then you need to wipe away the excess or it will become gummy on the surface. When the solvent has evaporated what's left is only the BLO. While it does enhance the grain, it offers little in the way of water resistance or surface protection. Even when BLO is fully cured is still retains some elasticity. This quality can be good if used in the proper setting where wood is prone to movement, like an outdoor project but it needs protection in the form of a top coat of some kind.

For interior items, much of the same holds true. BLO will enhance the grain but offers little surface protection. In this situation you need to protect it with some sort of top coat best suited for the items intended use.

There are several classic examples like gun stocks and cricket bats that traditionally use linseed oil as protection. The main difference is that these items are personal and their owners usually maintain them meticulously. this is not the norm.

As I posted earlier, BLO is a good product but not the best as a stand alone. It is far better as an initial penetrating coat to enhance grain or as an ingredient in a finish.

Ed Weber wrote on Jul 10^th, 2019 at 9:51am:


Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide for UV inhibitors (think suntan lotion)

Cobalt Drier to aid drying and to inhibit mold

Japan Drier to aid drying.

Since many of the big name brands switched to soybean oil from linseed oil and that soybean oil never dries more  japan or cobalt drier is used today in finishes than a decade or two.